Since Antiquity, scholars have appreciated the importance of communication: as social beings, we cannot exist without communication. We need to interact with people around us, to make sense of the world and to position ourselves in a wider social and cultural reality. In this course, we look at how and why communication evolved as a science and reflect on today’s dominant paradigms. The course also extends beyond the boundaries of communication science itself, exploring dimensions of history, sociology and psychology. Join our class, together with people all over the world.
Introduction to Communication Science explores some of the basic theories, models and concepts from the fields of mass, interpersonal and intrapersonal communication. The course begins with a consideration of several basic models, subsequently progressing to the history of communication theory, linear effect-oriented theories, the reception approach and, finally, exploring theories on the production and reinforcement of culture through communication.
Upon completion of this course, students should:
• have knowledge of the history and development of communication science;
• have knowledge of the dominant theoretical approaches within communication science;
• have knowledge and understanding of the most important models and concepts in this field.
Beginning the week of February 16, 2015, you will be able to join Signature Track, a system that verifies your identity when you take an exam. This option will allow you to earn a Verified Certificate, which provides formal recognition of your achievements in the course and includes the University of Amsterdam logo. Before then, you can complete a “test run” of the exam. You can then re-take the exam after the Verified Certificate becomes available. For information regarding Verified Certificates, see https://courserahelp.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/201212399-Verified-Certificates"

LH

An awesome course, very interesting and the teaching method was awesome. Loved the drawings presented, it made it a lot easier. Hope to be studying at this University in the future.

BC

Mar 18, 2017

Filled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled Star

It is an interesting and interactive course. I have learnt basic Communication science theories with a visual and understandable methods. Thank you so much for your great course!

À partir de la leçon

Technical Approaches to Communication Science

The linear effect-oriented approach is discussed and how it developed in the twentieth century. Evolving from a belief in all-powerful effects after World War I to a more nuanced negotiated effects perspective in the sixties.

Enseigné par

Rutger de Graaf

PhD

Transcription

The study of cognitive biases tells us that we process information subjectively. Sometimes to the extent that our perceptions get distorted, clouding ‘simple and objective’ facts like the amount of violations in a football match. Having cognitive biases is in many cases a very effective and healthy phenomenon because people simple can not handle balanced processing of all input. Can you imagine being conscious all the time of all your senses? You’ll probably be overwhelmed in seconds! Therefore it’s great that our mind is able to subconsciously make all of these processing decisions. Although we may be inclined to see biases as limitations, we could also view them as cognitive shortcuts since they speed up information processing. Perhaps the best known theory about cognitive biases is the theory of cognitive dissonance. Cognitive Dissonance is a theory from psychology that explains how people handle conflicting feelings, ideas or beliefs. I’ll explain with an example. Roger feels he is a well-read intellectual. His friends start talking about the classic book War and Peace. Everyone has read it except Roger. The belief that he is a well-read intellectual clashes with the fact that he is the only one amongst his friends who hasn’t read this classic. The theory predicts that Roger will try to avoid the discomfort of this cognitive dissonance. He can do this in three ways. 1) By making one of the discordant factors less important, 2) By adding new elements to his beliefs that make the picture fit, or, in other words, create consonance, 3) And finally by changing one clashing factors. So, to avoid cognitive dissonance Roger could say: Well, who cares if I’m well read. It’s not that important! Or: Not having read one classic hardly makes me illiterate! Or, he could create consonance by adding new elements to his beliefs. For instance by thinking that, being an intellectual, he obviously hangs out with other well-read intellectuals. It’s therefore not surprising that his friends have read the classic. Finally he could change his view: either by thinking 'Apparently I’m not that well-read' or thinking 'War and Peace is actually greatly overestimated as a work of literature'. The theory explains how people balance their beliefs with reality. Sometimes this can lead to enormous opinion changes. The classic example of this is the fable of the Fox and the Grapes by Aesop. In the English translation: “Driven by hunger, a fox tried to reach some grapes hanging high on the vine but was unable to, although he leaped with all his strength. As he went away, the fox remarked, 'Oh, you aren't even ripe yet! I don't need any sour grapes.'” Aesop sums up the moral of the story. “People who speak disparagingly of things that they cannot attain would do well to apply this story to themselves”. The fox had clearly reduced cognitive dissonance by changing his beliefs, which was the third option, and deciding that the grapes he had craved before were actually sour. On a side note, this is also the origin of the expression ‘sour grapes’.